Dothan, AL · Houston County
Affidavit of Substantial Hardship and Order
This three-page Unified Judicial System form lets a defendant in a criminal case ask a circuit, district, or municipal court for appointed counsel and/or a waiver of specified fees.
At a glance
- Issued by
- City of Dothan · Dothan, Houston County, Alabama
- Notarization
- Required: sign this form in front of a notary before filing it.
- Official source
- dothan.org
- Blank form
- Download the PDF
- Catalogued
- Machine-readable
- JSON record · about the forms index
- licensed online notary
- ~15 min average
- Notarized PDF emailed
What you’ll need
- Government-issued photo ID
- Webcam-enabled device (laptop or phone)
- This form, ready to upload as a PDF
What this form is
The defendant completes the affidavit with identifying details, household benefits, income, expenses, assets, and a sworn statement about financial status. The court completes the order section to grant or deny the request and specify any fee waiver, counsel appointment, or payment obligation. The form identifies requests involving ignition interlock device fees and expungement petition administrative filing fees.
Who needs it
A defendant in a criminal case may use this form to request court-appointed counsel, a waiver of specified fees, or both based on financial hardship.
How to get this notarized
- 1
Download The Form
Get the three-page Affidavit of Substantial Hardship and Order form.
- 2
Complete The Affidavit
Enter your case and personal details, household benefits, income, expenses, assets, and requested assistance.
- 3
Book An Online Notary
Arrange a session with a commissioned online notary and confirm the court accepts a remote jurat.
- 4
Sign Under Oath On Video
Sign and swear or affirm the affidavit during the online session, before the notary.
- 5
Submit It To The Court
File the completed affidavit with the court handling your case and follow its instructions.
Preview the form
The blank PDF straight from Dothan. Look it over, then upload your filled copy to start the notary session.
You’ll need ID and a webcam.
A licensed online notary will join you on video, verify your government-issued ID, witness your signature, and apply their seal. You’ll receive the notarized PDF by email when the session ends.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I complete and submit this hardship affidavit?
- Fill in the financial information, sign and swear or affirm before a notary or authorized oath officer, then submit the completed form to the court handling the case.
- Do I need to sign the affidavit in front of a notary?
- The form includes a sworn-and-subscribed block for the affiant and an officer authorized to administer oaths or a notary public. Sign before that officer.
- Can I use a commissioned online notary?
- Alabama authorizes remote notarization for its own notaries when they are physically in Alabama. The out-of-state acknowledgment rule concerns acknowledgments, while this form calls for a sworn jurat; ask the court whether it accepts a remote jurat.
- Where should I submit the completed form?
- The form is for a circuit, district, or municipal court and includes a court order section. Check with the court handling your case about how and where to file it; confirm with the city or town if unsure.